OT - Anybody have cows?

[Wonderland]

My family and I want to raise a steer this year for beef. I was hoping to get one from Emily from Ozark Jewels, but her reservation list is already full!

Do any of you have dairy cows, or know of someone who does, and will be selling excess bull calves? I live in west TN but can travel within a day's drive to neighboring states for a healthy calf. That's why I was hoping to get one of Emily's -- I know her's would have been in excellent health!

I'm cross posting this in the cattle section, too, but I'm over here the most and this forum has more traffic, so I figure I'd try here, too.

[Rosepath]

Don't know of anyone, but be sure you buy from someone who isn't a broker. Apparently in our area (IN/KY) there are bottle calves advertised as a couple weeks old, when in reality they've been trucked in from Wisconsin as day-olds to re-sell.
One person is alerting folks on craigslist, he bought several calves and they all died, a very contagious virus + stress of moving, etc.
So hopefully you can find someone local where you can go see their farm and get a well-started (colostrum first few days) baby.

[vancom]

PM topside1. he's, last I checked, over near Montery, TN. he may have some good ideas for you. know him from goats years ago and he has been raising up bottle calves for a while now.

[Wonderland]

Rosepath, that's what I'm afraid of. And I definitely don't want to bring a sick calf here and risk exposing my goats to Johnes or any other illness.

Thanks vancom, I will check with him!